00:00Yeah, it's a dream. I always say it's a dream, but it is. And that's what I grew up wishing
00:09I could do, and now I'm doing it, so it's great.
00:13At an event on Tuesday launching Middlesbrough's No More Red campaign to raise awareness of
00:18knife crime in the area, Hackney outlined why the issue was so important to him, given
00:23his roots.
00:24Like you say, me and Dale were here today, and it means a lot to us because we are from
00:30this area, so hopefully we can change that. We advise people not to wear red on Saturday
00:36to raise as much awareness as we can, so hopefully we can do that.
00:41On the pitch, Middlesbrough gave up a two-goal lead away at Norwich on Sunday, having been
00:463-1 up in the second half. A missed penalty which would have made it 4-1 was perhaps the
00:51turning point, but Hackney thought differently.
00:53Yeah, obviously I don't think the penalty was anything to do with it. I think we could
00:59have managed the game a little bit better. But yeah, I think we had chances after that
01:04as well to put the game to bed, but unfortunately we couldn't do that.
01:08Despite that disappointment, Hackney was adamant that this side has the quality to look upwards
01:13in the Championship and aim for promotion to the Premier League, whether that be automatically
01:18or via the play-offs.
01:20No, 100 per cent. I think we can really go on and get up there, whether that be in the
01:25play-offs or automatic. I think the quality is there. I think it's just consistency, trying
01:30to get that consistency, which we're working on. Hopefully we can be right up there.
01:36Individually, Hackney is not only admired by those at Middlesbrough, but also at the
01:40FA, and has become a regular call-up to England's under-21 side. He made clear his enjoyment
01:46at being part of the national squads, and how the coaching differs from what he experiences
01:51when at Middlesbrough.
01:54No, great, yeah. All the coaches have been really good. Didn't really feel like a change,
02:00everything was just normal. All really nice guys, and obviously they can help you a lot
02:05whilst you're away with them. It's something different, different people coaching you,
02:11different sessions, if you like. So yeah, it's good.
02:15Returning to matters on Teesside, Hackney previewed this weekend's encounter with Coventry
02:22City at the Riverside Stadium, and doubled down on the fact that Borough are good enough
02:27to challenge at the top of the championship this season, under head coach Michael Carrick.
02:33A win on Saturday against Coventry would be the perfect way to cement that aim, and to
02:38begin building momentum going forward.
02:41No, yeah, we're really excited for Saturday. Take each game as it comes, and see if we
02:47can win the game. I think the squad's big enough and strong enough to be right up there
02:54and challenging for that.
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